UJJ < & HP ON THE LOCAL TAXATION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN. 169 Do not you know complaints are constantly made to the committee, and men are removed in consequence of them?— I know they are very often dismissed. Is not it from misconduct and neglect of duty ?— It is ; I beg to mention a cir- cumstance that has just come to my recollection; I was once at the guild of mer- chants, where I heard a discussion about the dismissal of a measurer who had misconducted himself; one person said, he had discovered that some coals going through the city, which had been measured by this measurer, contained little more than half the quantity there ought to be, upon which there was a motion made to re- instate him and forgive him this fault; it was carried ; some one said they would try him once more ; an alderman said he had been a good loyal man and they would forgive him for this time, and it was decided to do so. Are you aware that they are sealed by sworn officers?— Yes, I am aware they are sealed by the clerks of the market, but the seal is only put upon one stave ; the brand is only put upon one stave. In case redress was refused by the coal committee, do you know of any instance of a complaint made to the guild on the quarter day, respecting the coal establish- ment, which has been refused to be attended to ?— I very seldom attend the guild of merchants; in answer to a former question I would beg to state that I have read in a newspaper a reported account of a discussion that had taken place in the guild of merchants; Alderman Archer brought forward a complaint of the practice of keeping small tubs, and Alderman Nugent, the master of the guild, said he was making much ado about nothing, that it was only small tubs he was talking about. You state that you have not been able to find out by what rate the sixpence a ton is levied for measuring; did you ever apply to the guild for information on that subject or for liberty to inspect their books?— Never; there is another complaint that the citizens make with respect to those measurers, that they are allowed to do it by deputy ; for instance, I have been informed, that a Mr. Timothy Allen, one of the clerks of the guild of merchants is a master measurer, and that his duty is done by deputy, and that he gets what is called the best cast, that is, the largest ship; and that Mr. Oulton is also a master measurer, he does the duty also by deputy ; there have also been many others mentioned to me who do the duty by deputy. You mentioned that you thought the weighing of coals would be a great advan- tage ?— Yes, that persons might have the option. You have already stated, that they weigh more than they measure ?— Some coals do and some not. Do you know the weight of Whitehaven coals?— I tried one, which weighed 77 lbs. more than the 20 hundred. Does a measured ton of Whitehaven coals weigh 21 hundred and 3 quarters ?— No, it weighed only 77 lbs. more than the 20 hundred. Have you the Maryport coal; how much did that weigh more ?— I tried only one; all Cumberland and all Swansea coal are rated at the same; they are rated at 208 lbs. more than the 20 hundred. What are the Maryport; is not the Maryport coal the worst description of coal imported into Dublin ?— I believe not. Are you aware that a ton of Maryport coal weighs nearly 200 weight more than measured ton of Whitehaven?— Yes, 208 lbs. if measured fairly ; but I am aware that it weighs only 77lbs. more as usually delivered. If vessels laden with coal to Dublin, always sold the coals by weight, and that the vessel shipped water, would not the consumer have a great additional weight from that to pay for?— He would have to pay ICMS than lie does at present for the same quantity of coal. Have not they found in Cork great frauds to arise from wetting coal?— From the enquiry I have made they have not, generally speaking; there have been some instances in which they have discovered it; but they can discover the fraud, I believe, of watering coals as readily as in any thing else. Do you think they could discharge the coals sufficiently fast by weight ?— I think they could, faster than by measure. When there are six or eight vessels discharging one over another, which is often the case in Dublin, could they do it by weight?— They could, and to check- it, it is within the reach and in the power of any housekeeper, because there is hardly any one that has not the power of weighing one hundred and a quarter weight, which would be the weight of a bag of coals," and any one can check that, but no one can check the measure, except by taking them to the clerk of the market, or being provided with a tub, and understanding how to measure, which very few are. 549. U u Do 2-/ S. £ Mr. Isaac & tewan. \ „ / v^- ( 22 May.) I I 1 '' I I I I a * m